Free Nuworld: Claiming Tara by Laurie Fitzgerald Page B

the bed next to him, and additional charts
were scattered across the long wooden table to his side. It
had been a long day. Hell be doomed! It had been a long
night.
His men weren’t pleased when he ordered that the
Runner not be brought down. But they were loyal and
obeyed his command. He had warred with his own decision
but was sure he’d made the right one. His papa had never
made any qualms over Runners. If seen, they were killed.
No questions asked.
The Runners were skilled warriors. They would kill a
man on sight. No one had ever questioned that knowledge
about
them. Runners didn’t
associate
with Gothman
people. They weren’t allowed in Bryton at all. Only once in
Darius’ lifetime had he ever known an exception to that
rule.
That was with Reena. His papa had never shared the
details. Darius knew from time to time a Runner visited
Reena. His men kept him informed. Reena had been the
one to bring her niece into Bryton to introduce to his
people. He’d just happen to be in the right place, at the
right time, to watch Tara use a weapon he’d never seen
before to shoot a trash can and scare a bunch of young
boys who were bullying Darius’ younger brother. He’d
inched back to the edge of the building and continued
watching when she consoled Torgo. This same woman,
armed with an incredibly dangerous weapon, had then
attempted to appear docile and willing when he’d spoken to
her. The way her pretty blue eyes had glowed with emotion
when he’d purposely handled her got his dick so hard he’d
barely been able to think of anything since.
Darius paced to his open bedroom door, filling the
doorway as he stared down the wide, dark and quiet
hallway. Her behavior in his garden remained imprinted in
his thoughts as well, even more of a distraction. No. He
would be honest. The woman more than distracted him. It
took all he had not to send for her right now. No Gothman
lady, unclaimed or claimed, behaved like Tara.
It was as if she believed she had a right to refuse him. If
he didn’t know better, Darius might think the woman had
been raised believing she would choose her claim.
For
some reason that turned him on. This was proof that he
needed to sleep.
Not only did the lass not act like other Gothman woman,
she didn’t move like any woman he’d ever met. There was a
confidence about her. She seemed trained. Not once did
she panic, or hesitate, when she’d stood from clipping roses
and attacked Judo, one of his well-trained warriors, in
Darius’ back yard. She’d known what she was doing.
Returning to where his maps were sprawled, Darius
rested his fists at the edge of his table and stared down at
them. He’d planned to spend his evening going over the
revised borders of Gothman. Over the past quarter-cycle
he’d travelled along those borders, confirming for himself
the extent of land he ruled. It had been just over a handful
of nights that he’d slept on the hard ground with his men
while surveying Gothman. Tonight he was to validate the
new maps drawn up to show all of Gothman. Once he gave
his approval, Darius planned to have more maps made and
sold in Bryton. His people knew they were strong. They
knew he protected them. It wouldn’t hurt to show Gothman
all the land that was theirs and hopefully encourage some
to move on to undeveloped land.
These maps in front of him had consumed his thoughts
until a blue eyed, brown haired woman had strolled into
his life.
“She hardly strolled,” he grumbled to himself.
His vision blurred. “Get some sleep,” he ordered himself.
The beautiful young woman who had come to call on his
mama had been trained to fight. Like she was a warrior—
like she was his Runner. But it would be seriously frowned
on if the Lord of Gothman took a Runner to his bed.
He turned and moved back to the open window, running
his fingers absently through tangled curls. The signs were
there, damn it. His men were in an outrage, and Darius
was confused. Not that he would admit his